Most of the
European UnionEuropean Union is on the
European continent . The only
member state of the EU which is wholly outside of
EuropeEurope is Cyprus,
which is in Asia. The EU includes less than half of the territory of
Europe, significant parts of the continent especially in the east
(e.g. European
RussiaRussia , Ukraine,
BelarusBelarus ) and smaller parts in the
north and centre are not part of the EU. The member states of the EU
have land borders with 19 other nations.

Including overseas territories of member states, the EU includes most
types of climate from Arctic to tropical . Meteorological averages for
the EU as a whole are therefore not meaningful. The majority of the
population live in areas with a
Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate (southern
Europe), a temperate maritime climate (western Europe), or a warm
summer continental or hemiboreal climate (in eastern member states).
European UnionEuropean Union Outermost regions (part of the EU) Overseas
countries and territories (not part of the EU)

The northern plain contains the old geological continent of
BalticaBaltica ,
and so may be regarded as the "main continent", while peripheral
highlands and mountainous regions in south and west constitute
fragments from various other geological continents.

Main article: Climate of
EuropeEurope 22 member countries are
influenced by extensive coastlines and oceanic climate, (Mediterranean
, Greece)

The climate of the
European UnionEuropean Union is of a temperate , continental
nature, with a maritime climate prevailing on the western coasts and a
mediterranean climate in the south. The climate is strongly
conditioned by the
Gulf StreamGulf Stream , which warms the western region to
levels unattainable at similar latitudes on other continents. Western
EuropeEurope is oceanic, while eastern
EuropeEurope is continental and dry. Four
seasons occur in western Europe, while southern
EuropeEurope experiences a
wet season and a dry season . Southern
EuropeEurope is hot and dry during
the summer months. The heaviest precipitation occurs downwind of water
bodies due to the prevailing westerlies , with higher amounts also
seen in the
AlpsAlps . Tornadoes occur within Europe, but tend to be weak.
The Netherlands and United Kingdom experience a disproportionately
high number of tornadic events.

Mildest climate within the
European UnionEuropean Union occurs in Portuguese island
of
MadeiraMadeira , where the average temperature varies from 19 °C (66 °F)
during the day and 13 °C (55 °F) at night in winter to 26 °C (79
°F) during the day and 19 °C (66 °F) at night in summer. Also,
mildest climate occurs in the Spanish island of
Gran CanariaGran Canaria (Canary
Islands ), with average temperature varies from 21 °C (70 °F) during
the day and 15 °C (59 °F) at night in winter to 27 °C (81 °F)
during the day and 22 °C (72 °F) at night in summer. Both these
islands lie in the Atlantic. As for the land on the European
continent, mildest climate occurs in northwest part of Iberian
Peninsula (also Spain and Portugal), between
BilbaoBilbao ,
A CoruñaA Coruña and
PortoPorto . In this the coastal strand, the average temperature varies
from 10–14 °C (50–57 °F) during the day and about 5 °C (41 °F)
at night in January to 22–26 °C (72–79 °F) during the day and
15–16 °C (59–61 °F) at night in the middle of summer.

RIVERS

The
DanubeDanube (pictured in Budapest), is the longest river in the
European Union.

The following are the longest rivers in the EU alongside their
approximate lengths:

The most populous member state is
GermanyGermany , with an estimated 82.1
million people, and the least populous member state is Malta with 0.4
million. Birth rates in the EU are low with the average woman having
1.6 children. The highest birth-rates are found in the Republic of
IrelandIreland with 16.876 births per thousand people per year and France
with 13.013 births per thousand people per year.
GermanyGermany has the
lowest birth rate in
EuropeEurope with 8.221 births per thousand people per
year.

Population and land area of the 28 member states of the European
Union
(1 January 2014 estimate )
MEMBER STATE
POPULATION
Percent
of total EU pop. Land area
km2 Percent
of total EU land area Pop. density
People/km2

In 1957, when the EU was founded, it had no environmental policy, no
environmental bureaucracy, and no environmental laws. Today, the EU
has some of the most progressive environmental policies of any state
in the world. The environmental policy of the EU has therefore
developed in remarkable fashion in the past four decades. An
increasingly dense network of legislation has emerged, which now
extends to all areas of environmental protection, including: air
pollution control, water protection, waste management, nature
conservation, and the control of chemicals, biotechnology and other
industrial risks. The Institute for European Environmental Policy
estimates the body of EU environmental law amounts to well over 500
Directives, Regulations and Decisions. Environmental policy has thus
become a core area of European politics. The black stork , an
Annex A protected species under Regulation (EC) No. 338/97

Such dynamic developments are surprising in light of the legal and
institutional conditions which existed in the late 1950s and 60s.
Acting without any legislative authority, European policy-makers
initially increased the EU's capacity to act by defining environmental
policy as a trade problem. The most important reason for the
introduction of a common environmental policy was the fear that trade
barriers and competitive distortions in the Common Market could emerge
due to the different environmental standards. However, in the course
of time, EU environmental policy emerged as a formal policy area, with
its own policy actors, policy principles and procedures. The legal
basis of EU environmental policy was not more explicitly established
until the introduction of the Single European Act in 1987.

Initially, EU environmental policy was rather introspective. More
recently, however, the Union has demonstrated a growing leadership in
global environmental governance. The role of the EU in securing the
ratification and entry into force of the
Kyoto ProtocolKyoto Protocol in the face of
US opposition is an example in this regard. This international
dimension is reflected in the EU's Sixth Environmental Action
Programme, which recognises that its strategic objectives can only be
achieved if a series of key international environmental agreements are
actively supported and properly implemented both at an EU level and
worldwide. The entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty further
strengthens the EU's global environmental leadership ambitions. The
vast body of EU environmental law which now exists has played a vital
role in improving habitat and species protection in
EuropeEurope as well as
contributed to improvements in air and water quality and waste
management. However, significant challenges remain, both to meet
existing EU targets and aspirations and to agree new targets and
actions that will further improve the environment and the quality of
life in
EuropeEurope and beyond.

One of the top priorities of EU environmental policy is combatting
climate change. In 2007, member states agreed that the EU is to use
20% renewable energy in the future and that it has to reduce carbon
dioxide emissions in 2020 by at least 20% compared to 1990 levels.
This includes measures that in 2020, 10% of the overall fuel quantity
used by cars and trucks in EU 27 should be running on renewable energy
such as biofuels . This is considered to be one of the most ambitious
moves of an important industrialised region to fight climate change .
The EU recently adopted an emissions trading system to incorporate
carbon emissions into the economy.

* ^ Figure including the four French overseas departments (French
Guiana ,
GuadeloupeGuadeloupe ,
MartiniqueMartinique ,
RéunionRéunion ) which are an integral
part of the European Union, but excluding the French overseas
collectivities and territories , which are not part of the European
Union.
* ^ Following the referendum held on 23 June 2016 , the United
Kingdom voted with a majority in favour leaving the European Union.
The formal process for leaving was initiated on 29 March 2017.
* ^
European UnionEuropean Union CIA World Factbook
* ^ European Rivers – Rivers of Europe, Map of Rivers in Europe,
Major Rivers in
EuropeEurope - Worldatlas.com
* ^ River Systems of the World Archived 19 September 2009 at the
Wayback MachineWayback Machine .
* ^
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?tab=table&language=en&pcode=tps00001&tableSelection=1&footnotes=yes&labeling=labels&plugin=1
* ^ Figures for France include the four overseas departments
(
French GuianaFrench Guiana , Guadeloupe,
MartiniqueMartinique , Réunion) which are integral
parts of the European Union, but do not include the overseas
collectivities and territories , which (but
Saint BarthélemySaint Barthélemy and
Saint MartinSaint Martin ) are not part of the European Union.
* ^ Indicators for larger urban zones 1999 – 2003, Eurostat.
Accessed 25 January 2007
* ^ Jordan, A.J. and Adelle, C. (eds)(2012) Environmental Policy in
the European Union: Contexts, Actors and Policy Dynamics (3e).
Earthscan: London and Sterling, VA.
* ^ Knill, C. and Liefferink, D.(2012) The establishment of EU
environmental policy, In: Jordan, A.J. and Adelle, C. (eds)
Environmental Policy in the European Union: Contexts, Actors and
Policy Dynamics (3e). Earthscan: London and Sterling, VA.
* ^ A B C
Institute for European Environmental Policy (2012) Manual
of European Environmental Policy, Earthscan, London.
* ^ Knill, C. and Liefferink, D.(2012) The etsbalishment of EU
environmental policy, In: Jordan, A.J. and Adelle, C. (eds)
Environmental Policy in the European Union: Contexts, Actors and
Policy Dynamics (3e). Earthscan: London and Sterling, VA.
* ^ Johnson, S.P. and Corcelle, G. (1989) The Environmental Policy
of the European Communities, Graham & Trotman, London
* ^ Benson, D. and Adelle, C. (2012)
European UnionEuropean Union environmental
policy after the Lisbon Treaty, In: Jordan, A.J. and Adelle, C. (eds)
Environmental Policy in the European Union: Contexts, Actors and
Policy Dynamics (3e). Earthscan: London and Sterling, VA.
* ^ Aldred, Jessica (23 January 2008). "EU sets 20% target for
carbon cuts". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 February 2008.
* ^ "how the eu plans to fight climate change". Retrieved Nov 2010.
Check date values in: access-date= (help )
* ^ "The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)".